Prince's Diaries
by Batwynn
Summary: Once upon a time, there were nine realms at war. To settle things once and for all, Asgard and Jotunheim decided it would be wise to hold a diplomatic marriage. Only, they thought it would be funny to chose me, insof some Asgardian prince. So here's the story of how my life got turned upside down, and how I, Tony Stark, married a prince.
1. So We Meet

_Once upon a time, there were nine realms. In those realms lived many different species, all living together in harmony._

_Well, as harmonious as they could manage with a small war going on between Asgard and Jotunheim._

_Did I say a small war? I meant a long, tedious war that ravaged both worlds. It has gotten to the point where apparently Earth has been involved. So, that's where I come in. I'm only telling you this now because I'm pretty sure I will never see you again, Pepper. So keep reading this to the end._

_Why am I involved, you might ask. Well, I'll tell you with the least amount of cursing as I can manage. It all started when Thor came down to Earth and ordered us to hand over a prince…._

"Are you _seriously_ telling me the god of fucking thunder just showed up in Navada demanding a prince?"

Fury answered with a perfectly straight face, "That's exactly what happened, Stark."

"Why the fuck does an old Norwegian god need a prince?" Tony paused before adding, "Also, why Navada?"

"You really think I know why a god is demanding anything from some southern state?" Fury snapped in reply. "All I know is, we ain't got princes in America and the British aren't giving any of their's up. This is where you come in."

_So, apparently I'm the closest thing to a prince around here. I can see you rolling your eyes while you read this. But it was Fury's call, as usual. When the god of thunder says jump, apparently Fury says 'Tony Stark.'_

_I don't know if I will ever be back, I don't even know what the fuck they need a prince for. But if I don't make it back, you will need to take care of everything. I will be taking one suit with me, because there's no fucking way I'm running around space without one. The rest, I leave in your capable hands. Wish me luck, and not dying and all that._

_Love,_

_You know who I am._

Thor had been a very agreeable god. Right up until the point where he ordered Tony to marry some giant ice pack.

"Tell me again, why _I_ have to do this?"

Thor frowned, looking confused as to why this mortal had so much trouble understanding a simple concept.

"If you do not marry Loki Laufeyson, Asgard and Midgard both will be in mortal danger," Thor replied slowly. He smiled and added, "You are our last hope of creating a period of peace between the nine realms again."

"Kay, thanks. No pressure or anything."

Four days later, Tony was standing face to face with a Frost Giant. Taking into account the massiveness of the other giants around his fiancé, Frost Midget was more appropriate. Still, he was a giant to Tony.

"It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you, Tony Stark of Midgard," Thor said cheerfully, his arms wide in a welcoming manner. After spending time with the god, Tony was a little surprised that Odin was letting 'Tactless Thor' handle such a delicate operation. He was less diplomatic and more dopey than one would expect for the god of thunder.

The frost giants looked as unimpressed as Tony felt. They really weren't hiding it as well.

"A pleasure," the smallest one said coldly. It was very clear that it was anything but pleasurable to meet Tony.

"Nice to meet you too, future hubby."

It was worth the alarmed look on Thor's face. Did Thor even know what the word meant? Did he think Tony just insulted the Smurf prince?  
Good.

"We would like to be directed to our quarters," the smaller of the frost giants said, ignoring Tony thoroughly.

"I… but," Thor stumbled over his words, looking more uncomfortable by the second.

"Hey, big blue," Tony interrupted, "aren't you supposed to introduce yourself?"

The prince's eyes could have peeled the paint off his suit.

"I am son of king Laufey," he drawled, clearly in better control of his anger than the others, " You may call me Prince Loki."

Tony raised an eyebrow, eyeing the prince's entourage thoughtfully. "Would it be weird or disrespectful to ask to talk to you in private?"

He added hastily, "I mean before you go rest or whatever. It will only take a minute."

If Thor knew more about baseball, he would know better hand gestures to use to imply, 'Don't do it you stupid fuck.'  
But, Tony took his twitching as a sign to ignore him and smiled sweetly at his soon to be husband.

Loki met his smile without an ounce of humor in those red eyes. "But of course. I understand you were thrust into this, quite against your will as well."

"'Thrust' is really the accurate term for it," Tony commented with a hint of distaste. He still felt nauseous after being thrown from one planet to another. The Bifrost was all good and lovely. Until you ride it and it turns you inside out.

Loki's lips twitched with amusement.

There we go. I thought I was going to be stuck with a cold fish for the rest of my life.

"Shall we?" Tony asked, offering an arm out to him.

Loki looked at the arm with barely masked confusion before striding off in front of him. Tony glanced at Thor who was, again, making twitching gestures with his hands. Tony grinned and gave the god a thumbs up before following Loki.

"What is it you wish to speak to me about?" Loki asked as they reached a comfortable distance from the group.

Tony sighed, finally letting himself express some of the stress that had been building up. He had a feeling Loki would appreciate the honesty more than an act.

"Look, this is a bucket of shit that neither of us wanted," Tony said, running a hand down his face. "I wasn't planning on getting married to _anyone_ any time soon, much less uh… a blue, prince, god thing."

Loki's eyes narrowed into slits.  
Okay, so maybe 'thing' was the wrong word.

"What I mean is, I feel bad," he amended. "I didn't know about this until I got here, and by the looks of it, neither did you."

Loki relaxed very little. "I was unaware until recently, yes."

Tony resisted the urge to sigh again. He didn't want the prince to think he was irritated with him. Lest he decide to smite Tony where he stood. "What I'm getting at, in a sloppy, half-assed way, is that we should try to get along."

"Why bother?" Loki snapped, some of his pent up anger showing at last. "I see no point in becoming friendly. Many marriages are under diplomatic terms with no further affections needed."

Tony looked seriously into the red eyes in front of him. "Because we're both a lot smarter than any of that group over there. I'd also say we have a similar sense of humor too," he paused and shared a real smile. "I think I'm probably going to be the only decent company around for miles."

Loki finally smiled something wider than a twitch. Even if it was a smirk, it still counted.

"I see," he said slowly. "Then I agree to your terms. I do grow tired of conversation that lacks a challenge."

"Glad to be doing business with you."

Tony offered a hand out to shake. Loki looked at it with a small frown. It was almost cute to see him look so honestly confused. Tony wondered, vaguely, if all It took to tear down that emotionless mask was a few strange mortal antics.

"Are you offering me something?" The prince asked.

"A hand shake. You reach out and grab my hand to shake it. It's how we come to an accord, as you would call it. Probably."

Loki's brow furrowed more. "We generally clasp the arms in an agreement." He paused, looking down at his own hand. "I fear I may hurt you if I touch you."

"Hey, I'm not that weak. I almost took Thor in an arm wrestle the other day."

By almost, he meant he managed to avoid having his arm torn off.

"That is not what I m—"

Tony grabbed his arm and give it a good, firm shake. He nearly jumped at the feeling of frozen skin against his. Oh yeah, Frost Giant.

"There," he said cheerfully, " that wasn't so bad was it?"

The look on Loki's face was pure comedy. The prince looked down at his hand in incredulous amazement.

"It did not burn you?" He asked slowly.

"Burn? Nope. I'm good. A little chilly, but I've felt worse."

Loki huffed with laugher, letting the hand fall to his side. "I see. You're blood must differ from that of the Aesir."

"These guys?" Tony asked, nodding his head towards the awkward looking Thor.

"Yes, the royalty of Asgard." He spit the last word out like it personally offended him.

Tony raised an eyebrow and decided not to press the issue. They had many years ahead of them to learn one another's likes and dislikes.

"I'm not related to gods," he replied, sounding equally disgusted at the thought.

"As godly as I may look," he added with a smirk.

Loki raised an eyebrow to match his, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

Tony ignored the small pang of disappointment at the lack of an impression he was making on the prince. Really, it's not like the guy wasn't attractive, even with the blue skin. Tony wouldn't say no to exploring those white lines with more than his eyes.

Tony blinked a few times, missing what Loki said completely.  
"What? Sorry I was distracted by… Uh. Decorations."

"I asked if we were done here," Loki repeated, the irritation returning quickly to his voice.

Tony nearly winced at how fast the prince's mood reverted back and nodded. It had been going so well, too.

"Sure, whatever. Get some beauty sleep." He shrugged and added, "not that you need it."

There was that look of disbelief and awe again. It was like the guy was never complimented, which was impossible because he was gorgeous.

Tony felt a small laugh bubble up, his stress and worry fading slightly. He reached out, chuckling softly, and brushed a few stray hairs out of Loki's face.

"See you tomorrow then, Loki."

He left the prince staring after him, looking suspiciously like he was blushing.

* * *

_Once upon a time, there lived a prince. He was known as the prince of Jotunhiem. He lived in royal splendor under a good king, and a better father._

_Did I say prince? I meant slave. A man who works for no pay, and does everything those above him ask. That is, in fact, the meaning of the word is it not?_

_Why I am asking such a thing, you must be wondering. Although you really shouldn't wonder, mother, seeing as you saw how they treated me everyday. To be treated as scum for no other reason than my size? All of this suffering and then just the other day…_

"You wish me to what?!" Loki shouted, painfully aware of how less booming his voice was than the other male Jotuns.

"You will travel to Asgard and work as our diplomat," Laufey answered smoothly. "Peace is needed between these realms, and I mean to be the instigator."

"You mean to send me into the pits of hell."

"Are you not always claiming how tiring the work here is?" Laufey asked, a sneer forming on his face.  
"You will do this, or continue to be useless here. I will not be so lenient on a prince who does not do his duties."

So, apparently, I am an incapable prince no matter what I do. Be it the physical laboring he has forced me into daily, or being a diplomat in the realm of barbarians.

I do not know if I shall ever return. I do not know if I ever wish to return, seeing how little there is I have any desire to see again. In the event of my undoubtably soon death, I leave the handling of my affairs to you. I do believe, out of everyone, you are the only one who hates me slightly less. Please keep my books for me and pass them to those eager to learn.

Yours,

The prince that never was

Being a diplomat had seemed almost agreeable. Up until the point where his entourage of guards leered at him about the wedding.

"No one said anything about marriage…" Loki said to the elder who was sending them on their way to the Bifrost site.

"King Laufey has set it up nicely. You shall be wed to either an Asgardian Aesir, or one from Midgard."

"And if I refuse?"

The elder smiled at the prince with all the affection of an ice snake. "Then you shall throw the nine realms into chaos due to your selfishness."

"I see," Loki spat at the man, biting back his nastier remarks. So the weight of the nine realms was upon his shoulders. How important of him.

One rainbow journey and a walk through the golden city, and Loki was facing two men. One was the same high as he, impressive even for a god. The other was much shorter, looking about as amused as he felt.

The blond introduced the shorter man as Tony Stark. Loki felt it odd how lackluster of a ceremony it was and how overly familiar the god was with the mortal. He had heard his soon to be husband's full name was Anthony Edward Stark. He was unsure why the oaf would find it appropriate to introduce with a pet name.

"A pleasure," he said distractedly. One of the other Jotun behind him snickered slightly. Clearly deriving a sick pleasure at Loki's situation.

Loki failed to hear whatever the mortal said. He forced himself to concentrate on the two in front of him. He politely asked to be directed to his quarters. The sooner he escaped his 'guards' the better he would feel.

The blond simply bumbled over himself, wasting Loki's precious time. He needed to get away before he broke down in front of the lot of them.

"Hey, big blue," the mortal interrupted his thoughts, "aren't you supposed to introduce yourself?"

He bit back the wave of panic and leveled his gaze on the shorter man.

"I am son of king Laufey," he replied carefully, feeling as though he were lying. " You may call me Prince Loki."

Another lie. No one called him Prince Loki. He was only called a prince in leering sarcasm.

The man in front of him seemed unfazed. Anthony cast a strange look at the men escorting him and asked if they could speak in private.

Loki tensed. So he was going to be that sort of husband. Loki was, yet again, going to be a slave to another. By the sounds of it, the lowest of them all. A bed slave.

The mortal added, "I mean before you go rest or whatever. It will only take a minute." He smiled at Loki.

Loki forced a smile on his face, doing as he had always done. Perform the part given to him.

"But of course," he said politely, ignoring the fear eating away at his stomach." I understand you were thrust into this, quite against your will, as well."

"'Thrust' is really the accurate term for it," the man said, sounding as disgusted as he felt about the entire thing.

Loki felt himself smile, just a little at the mortal's discomfort.

So I am not alone in my dislike of this wedding. Perhaps we can manage somehow.

"Shall we?" Anthony asked, jutting an elbow at him.

Loki stared at the offered limb, trying to come to some sort of conclusion as to what the gesture meant. When nothing came to mind, he simply walked on ahead.

"What is it you wish to speak to me about?" Loki asked, breaching the topic quickly. He hoped the man would be reasonable. If not, this was more than likely going to be an unpleasant show of dominance over him.

The man sighed, looking as though a sudden weight graced his shoulders. Loki felt a pang of familiarity, and a hint of surprise at the mortal's acting skills. Although, why he chose to give up the act in front of Loki was yet to be determined.

"Look," Anthony began, rubbing his face in what looked like frustration, "this is a bucket of shit that neither of us wanted. I wasn't planning on getting married to anyone any time soon, much less uh… a blue prince god thing."

Loki narrowed his eyes, biting back some comments on his lack of desire to marry a dirty midget.

"What I mean is," the man continued more carefully, "I feel bad. I didn't know about this until I got here, and by the looks of it, neither did you."

Loki was surprised, having assumed the mortal had chosen this situation for himself. Just as he had been given the option to remain useless at home. Perhaps it was prideful to think anyone wanted Loki personally, even for diplomatic reasons.

He agreed, that he was also pushed into the situation.

The man was giving him a strange look, as if weighing his options. He seemed wary of Loki, and he wondered vaguely if it was due to his small size.

"What I'm getting at, in a sloppy, half-assed way, is that we should try to get along."

Get along? Loki nearly laughed at this as his insides twisted at the notion. He truly was to be bedded, not even to be treated as a diplomat. He knew he was thrown to the beasts by his own father. This was not some form of service to his realm, it was a means to get rid of him. To finally be rid of that hideous Loki. The useless Loki.

"Why bother?" Loki finally snapped, feeling years of anger seep from his bones. "I see no point in becoming friendly. Many marriages are under diplomatic terms with no further affections needed."

"Because we're both a lot smarter than any of that group over there. I'd also say we have a similar sense of humor," the man said, looking at him seriously, but sounding slightly amused. "I think I'm probably going to be the only decent company around for miles."

He reigned back his surprise and smirked. So the mortal thought him smart. Well that was a better compliment than he had expected.

"I see," he replied slowly, shaking away the hopeful thoughts that began to form. No reason to assume the best yet.  
"Then I agree to your terms. I do grow tired of conversation that lacks a challenge."

The mortal said he was glad for something and again, thrust his arm out at Loki. This time, he had his palm up as though he were offering the air to him. Loki eyed it in confusion, noting the similarities to the poster for closing a deal.

"Are you offering me something?" He eventually asked.

"A hand shake. You reach out and grab my hand to shake it. It's how we come to an accord, as you would call it. Probably."

Loki frowned more, unsure of what to do. "We generally clasp the arms in an agreement," he said carefully before looking down at his blue hands.

He had been warned not to touch any of the Aesir, lest he wish to anger them with a burn. He assumed it was the same for those of Midgard. "I fear I may hurt you if I touch you."

"Hey, I'm not that weak. I almost took Thor in an arm wrestle the other day."

Loki was unsure what any of that meant, but of course he knew who Thor was. Who hadn't heard of his glorious battles and unmatched strength. So the mortal could hold his own with the god, impressive.  
Still…

"That is not what I m—"

Anthony grabbed his arm awkwardly, but firmly. He then proceeded to shake their arms together in a rough bastardization of the traditional clasping of arms.  
He nearly jumped at the feeling of warm flesh against his. Oh yes, a mortal.

"There," the man said cheerfully, " that wasn't so bad was it?"

Loki openly gaped at their arms.  
He had seen, once, what happened to an Aesir when one his own touched them. It was unpleasant and generally ended with screams.

"It did not burn you?" He asked, still in disbelief.

"Burn? Nope. I'm good. A little chilly, but I've felt worse."

Loki felt a laugh escape his lips.  
"I see," he said, trying to collect his thoughts. "Your blood must differ from that of the Aesir."

Loki caught the mortal's gesture to the blond god behind them.

"Yes, the royalty of Asgard," he replied, hardly bothering to hide his contempt.

The mortal looked as though he meant to comment, but seemed content on avoiding the topic. Loki was overly grateful for that.

"I'm not related to gods," Anthony said instead, sounding just as unhappy at the thought as Loki felt. "As godly as I may look."

Loki bit back a loud laugh.  
True, the man was pleasing on the eye. Far more attractive than Loki has even hoped for. But to compare himself to the massive brutes who called themselves gods was ridiculous. He was no where near their bulk, nor did he seem to share their mannerisms.

The mortal seemed slightly disappointed at Loki's failure to agree with him. He realized he must have tread poorly there, instead seeming to have insulted the man. He was about to make amends on his part, when he noticed Anthony eyeing him strangely.

His eyes had gone from slightly hurt, to almost… hungry. The old fear crawled back into Loki's stomach. Hungry like those who kept such pretty slaves, dressing them up for the parties and undressing them in the bedroom.  
He needed to escape that gaze before he showed his fear.

"Are we done here?" He asked more sharply than he intended. He flinched at his own tone, hoping the mortal took it as exhaustion.

The man shook himself from whatever thoughts were on his mind and frowned. He asked Loki to repeat himself.

"I asked if we were done here," Loki repeated, attempting to sound less irked.

"Sure, whatever. Get some beauty sleep. Not that you need it."

Loki froze, unsure of how to take those words. On one hand, it was not uncommon for those who kept bed slaves to compliment them on their features for their own sick fantasies. On the other hand, his words sounded genuinely appreciative.

The man laughed, suddenly. Loki felt his tension seep away at the sound. It wasn't a nasty, teasing laugh. It was loud and pleasant, and it infectious.

Before he could join in, Anthony reached forward and removed a hair that had fallen into his face. It was so gentle, he nearly cried at the small brush of warm skin against his cheek.

"See you tomorrow then, Loki."

Loki stared after him, feeling a strange and unfamiliar heat rise to his face. The man had said his name, and he had said it without an ounce of hatred for the word.


	2. A Man's Castle

_Three days have passed since I arrived in Asgard. Three days, I have spent locked away in my room and forbidden to step outside even once. My 'companions' have all been sent back home. Ah, not 'home' I suppose, but back to Jotunhiem. _  
_I find I much prefer the solitude to their miserable company. Even so, I crave something more than these golden walls. I grow bored, finding these quarters growing stale with each passing day._

_Although, one interesting thing did happen yesterday while I was making a feeble attempt to sneak out… _

"Where do you think you're going, Big Blue?"

Loki froze, hanging off the window sill with one hand. He followed the sound of the voice to somewhere below him. There stood Anthony Stark, looking up at him with wild amusement.

Loki blushed furiously, letting go and landing with ease directly beside the man. He dusted himself off and straightened up.  
"I have been trapped in there for days, I simply wished for a little air."

The man threw his head back and laughed, his whole body shaking with it. Loki was sure he was going to catch the guard's attention with all the noise.

"Silence!" He hushed Stark quickly, reaching forward and covering the man's mouth without thinking. Stark's eyes crinkled up, still laughing behind his hand. "I do not wish to get in trouble," Loki added desperately.

The mortal nodded and pointed to Loki's hand expectantly. His eyes widened with the realization of what he just did.

Not only had he told the man what to do, he had touched him so easily and without asking. Loki drew back in horror, knowing full well he deserved what anger came at him next.

"My… my deepest apologies," he stammered out, attempting to remain regal and confident. If he were at home, he would have already been heavily berated for such an action. If not beaten for simply touching a pure blood.

"No problem-o, Babe," the man said calmly.

"I did not mean to speak to you as if it were a command."

"You're a prince, doesn't that come with the job?"

Loki tilted his head slightly, still unsure of the mood. Stark was clearly not as angry as he had expected. In fact, he seemed to be in a rather pleasant mood. He must have been forgiven. Perhaps due to the newness of their surroundings, the man would make an exception.

"It would normally, I suppose," Loki said, surprising himself. He did not mean to speak so freely of his true identity. The failure. The fake prince.

"Normally?" Stark asked, stretching his arms behind his head, a curious expression beginning to grow.

Loki tensed, looking around carefully for any sign of the guards. "I am not, perhaps, the best example of a prince. I was never truly considered one in my realm."

There was a raised eyebrow, but no further comment from the man. Loki continued, uneasily, "You must have noticed I am smaller than my fellow Frost Giants?"

"I must have."

Loki blinked, beginning to fidget with one of his long, draping sleeves. "I am not a pure blood, therefore I am not worthy of my title. Asgard has been tricked. I am no worthy husband to a prince."

There was a lengthy pause before Stark responded. "Well," he said, starting to grin. "Should I let you in on a little secret?"

Loki nodded, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"I'm not a prince either. Probably the farthest thing from one."

"You are… a slave then?" Loki looked at him incredulously and added, "You certainly do not looklike one."

"I'm not a slave, god dammit," the man snapped, the pleasant mood shedding away. "I'm actually a billionaire, genius, playboy… uh, scratch that last one."

Loki tried not to flinch back at the sudden flash of irritation. He drew himself up and prepared to take the blows with dignity.

The man sighed and ran a hand over his beard, looking out at the garden thoughtfully. "I guess we're both fakes."

Loki's tension eased a little at the thought. Once more, he was reminded that he was not alone in this.

"Yes," he said, finding the man smiling at him already. "I suppose we are."

_My freedom was short lived, seeing as the man's laughter brought the guards to us. I could not bring myself to be annoyed with him, not for laughter. Somehow, he had given me the entertainment I had so desperately been seeking. It was worth the trouble I am sure to be in once Odin and his son hear of my escape. _

* * *

_It's been a fucking week of this shit. They won't let me fly in my suit, I miss pizza, and my phone battery is actually dying._

_An entire fucking week wasted sitting around in some fancy ass room being waited on by servants. _  
_I have no problem ordering my robots around; I made them. They may have soulful eyes, but it's all hardware. _  
_When a person comes in groveling and looking skinnier than a runway model, I just can't do it. I made Thor dismiss them. He thought I was 'displeased with the servant's behavior '. I made it perfectly clear, by way of repeating myself six times, that it was me. Not them._

_In other news, apparently Thor and Fury decided that I would be less likely to kill everyone if I had some sort of way to stem my boredom. So, next week I get a workshop._

_A workshop. _  
_Supplied regularly by Fury by way of the Bifrost. It's going to be my only sanctuary in the world of latrines and torches. Complete with my reactor core and all my own gadgets. I know Pepper had a hand in it. I could kiss her._

_I really could. _  
_I miss …_

_Anyway, I'm fitting in pretty well. Even if I'm not some wild, bearded muscle man, I seem to entertain them enough to maybe count as a court jester. I had about seven of them listening to in rapt awe as I explained how my tv worked._  
_Still, I'm fucking bored._

_I guess the highlight of my week would be the time I spent with Loki. I never, in a million years, thought that I would say that._

_As skittish and generally snobby as the prince is, Loki's smart and sharp as a whip. We've had more riveting conversations than I can count in my life time on Earth._

_Especially last time I saw him. When we both escaped (again) to run around the palace a while…_

"You do not honestly expect me to believe that utter swill."

"No lie!" Tony swore, placing a hand on his chest as they both skittered behind some pillars. "On my honor, I made him say it."

"Your honor is worth about as much as mine," Loki snapped, peeking around the great red stone to see if the guards had seen them. Seemingly satisfied at their escape, the prince turned his attention once more to him.  
"Do you have any proof that you made him say it?"

"As a matter of fact," Tony replied, taking out his phone, "I do. Watch and weep, Iceberg."

Loki scowled, as usual, at the nickname. Tony felt a little bad that he kept using them, knowing full well that the god hated it. He also knew that, somehow, Loki was too afraid to say anything about it.

"Okay, aaannddd play!"

He tapped the screen and grinned as Thor came into view, looking down in confusion at the phone thrust into his face.

"What is it you wished for me to say?"

"It's an old Midgardian ballad," Tony's voice replied from somewhere off screen.

"I shall do my best, then, not to fail in this matter," Thor replied seriously.

Loki snickered, crouching down next to him to watch the screen with Tony. He hadn't shown an ounce of surprise when the video had started playing. It was a surprisingly boring reaction, or lack thereof.

Thor began to sing, in his low booming voice.

"I like big butts, and I cannot lie! You other brothers cannot deny…"

"And these words mean precisely what you said they mean?"

"Basically, it's a totally inappropriate song."

"He sang the entire thing?" Loki asked, laughing like a cat.

"He did. I taught him well." Tony paused the video and sighed contently. "Now to get him to sing it in front of Odin."

Loki was no longer listening to him, his attention finally focused on the device at last. His eyes followed around its shape as his expression darkened.

"I sense no magic from this," he spoke slowly, as if such a thing were impossible. "How does it work?"

"I never thought you'd ask." Tony held it up and grinned. "See this? It's a screen. Like, the metal backing of a mirror. It sort of reflects the information stored inside of the phone so we can see it."

"I see," Loki said, nodding a little. "Some sort of projection, then. Only, very small."

Tony blinked. "That's exactly it. Well, a little more complicated, but yeah. How did you know?"

Loki smiled a wicked little smile. "I know a thing or two about projections."

"Oh?"

Loki's humor dried up like an old well. "That is all I wish to say on the matter."

Tony leaned back against the pillar, looking Loki up and down thoughtfully. "Why not explain it to me a little? I don't bite."

"I was not aware that was even in consideration."

Tony gave the god a wink. "It might be."

That seemed to only make him tense up further, so Tony tried another track. "I just explained how this worked to you. The least you could do is return the favor."

Loki considered this a moment, biting his lip. "You are right, I do owe you for your teachings."

Tony decided to keep his comments on that to himself, edging Loki on with a hand.

"Projecting is something I can do, much like your non-magical device there."

"You mean, physically?"

"I mean, magically." Loki paused a moment before commanding, "touch my hand."

Tony hesitated only a moment before he reached out to touch the thin, blue hand held out to him. Instead of feeling the cold flesh underneath his fingers, his hand simply passed through.

"Holy fucking shit!"

"See?" Came Loki's voice from his other side.

Tony turned away to look at, what was apparently, the real Loki. He snapped his head back just in time to see the other Loki flicker and fade away. He gaped at the spot for a while, barely breathing as his mind reeled at the possibilities.

Loki shifted back into his line of sight, looking painfully uncomfortable. There was a crease between his eyebrows, and a tension in his shoulders.

Tony looked at him, his mouth still open in awe, and whispered, "Awesome…"

The tension melted out of the prince's body, Loki's playful smile returning once more.

* * *

After several more escape attempts, Odin had had enough. He summoned Loki to the throne room, alone.

Loki knew he would be the only one in trouble. Of course, because Stark was actually a welcomed guest. Loki was just the sacrifice offered in place of slaughter. The tool to save the kingdom. At least, now, he had a use.

Odin frowned down at him, his single eye dark with swirling thoughts. This was not a man to be on the wrong side of, Loki was sure.

"Prince Loki, it has come to my attention that you refuse to stay in your room." Odin paused, the shadows slipping away from his face as he spoke. "Even though I set this condition in consideration of your safety."

"My safety?" Loki asked meekly, unsure if he was even allowed to speak.

"Yes. Considering you are of a race we have long since been at war with, I cannot guarantee there will not be those who do not still see you as an enemy. Those who may see it as a justice to end your life in these very halls."

Loki's gaze fell from Odin's face, struck suddenly with the realization of how much danger he had been in. He was in enemy territory, how could he have forgotten? Just because he wasn't being treated as poorly as at home did not mean he was safe.

"My apologies," he choked out, feeling a cold sweat form across his body. He knew his punishment was eminent, but the Allfather had indeed been considerate of him. He deserved Loki's apology, even if it was meaningless from such a failure.

"I think I may have a way around this," Odin spoke as he stood from his golden throne. "Approach me."

Loki stumbled to his feet, his fingers picking frantically at the hem of his sleeve. Shuffling closer, he finally managed to lift his gaze from the floor.

"I give you this form, not just for your safety, but to keep peace in my court. Only a chosen few know the conditions of our peace treaty." Odin added sadly, "Most do not even know that a Frost Giant resides within our walls."

Loki blinked up at him, watching as the staff lifted into the air and pointed at him. "… form?"

Something trickled down from the top of his head, flowing over his skin like a warm breath. Loki panicked, lifting his hands to his face to feel for fire he expected to be there. He froze when he caught sight of his hands.

They were no longer blue, ridged with small lines. They were pale, paler than Stark's skin.

"What have you done?" Loki asked breathlessly.

"I have given you a new form. A chance to find a place here without judgement."

He barely registered the king dismissing him, he was so wrapped up in his own thoughts.

He paused in one of the many long hallways to look at his hands once more. Loki was in awe of it, the feel of his own skin being nearly warm.

But even as the pleasure grew, something else started to creep its way in, and fester. Anger. Anger at his need to hide, to become a lie.

Was it not the entire reason of his presence here to create a bond between the Aesir and his people?  
As much as he was pleased to be able to be given a chance at acceptance, there was no merit in other's acceptance of a lie. If they could not welcome him, blue skin and red eyed, then why would he want it?

A small voice whispered from the back of his mind, 'What of Stark?'

The small voice grew, until it had taken over his mind fully. What would Stark think of this new form? Would he smile in awe just as he did when Loki showed him magic?

He wanted to know.

Finally, Loki had something fascinating to look forward to.


	3. Pandora's Box

_Today was actually a good day. As good of a day as I can get around here, anyway. I woke up, found a huge pile of food on the table, and ate until Thor busted down my door yelling about my new workshop.___

_When I say workshop, I mean work building. Or even 'Work Palace'. The thing has three huge rooms, a loft thing with a bed, a yard, and a well. It's going to be a bitch to get some wiring running through there and highly doubt they have decent plumbing for the water._

_I forgot to request a staple gun._

_Fury and Thor must have worked surprisingly well together to get everything on my list. Seeing as they don't even know what half of it is, I'm surprised it made it to Asgard in one piece. I can't say I'm not impressed with the intergalactic relations we're building._

_I need to remember the staple gun next time Thor heads back to earth._

_Maybe I should write a letter to Pepper too._

_Maybe I shouldn't.___

_The rest of the workspace set up is left to me. Now I've got an entire electric forge, my medium sized arc reactor, my work benches, and all the screens to set up all on my own. No holograms for me. I feel like i'm in the dark ages, oh wait, I am. Speaking of old-timey stuff, I'm hoping I can wrangle Thor into doing some of the heavy lifting. He's like a farm hand on steroids. Actually, even Loki could manage it. For all the stick bug that he is, he's strong as hell. Must be an alien thing.___

_Speaking of Loki, I haven't seen him in a few days. The last time we met he was fine, but when I snuck out again he never showed. I'm worried, _no_, I'm curious if he got in trouble. I think i'm in the clear because of my bullshit status as 'Visiting Royalty'. Plus, I think Thor likes me better than him. Apparently there's been too much drama between their realms to make friends that easily. Which is kind of surprising, seeing how easy going Thor usually is. Maybe it's the same pig-headedness that all these Aesir have. Like how I wasn't even asked to come along, I was _ordered_. ___

_Whatever.___

_I'm not worried about Loki, I'm just ..._

"Son of Stark, a guest has arrived for you."

Tony looked up from his phone, still lost in his thoughts. He stared at the servant pointlessly for several minutes before realizing the man had actually said something.

"What?"

The servant repeated his previous statement, and instead of waiting for a response, promptly turned around and left the room.

"Hey!" Tony shouted, launching himself off the couch he had been lounging on. He swore, looked down at his phone, and saved the message.

Someone walked into the room and said, "Anthony..."

Tony smiled at the familiar voice and looked up to see a perfect stranger.

The man was the same hight as Loki, but definitely not Loki. His clothing wasn't Loki's typical loose robes, but a dark green tunic that fitted his body. He wasn't even going to mention the tight leather pants. After a moment, Tony realized he was staring into the deep green eyes. He was being rude, again.

"I'm sorry, you are?"

The man's already pale skin paled further and he looked like he was going to vomit.

"I... I am..."

Tony frowned and putting his phone away, walked closer to inspect the man. He felt like Loki. He sounded like Loki. He even had Loki's hair. The only problem was the obvious lack of Loki blue.

Tony decided to risk it, "Prince Loki?"

The, now obvious, Loki shifted his weight nervously and unconsciously licked his lips. Tony watched as Loki's tongue peeked out between the pink lips, and for a maddening second he missed the small white ridges that were usually there.

"Yes, I have a somewhat more permeant glamour set upon me by King Odin."

Tony gaped openly, giving Loki another look over. This had been the last thing he expected to see after Loki disappeared. "This is your punishment for sneaking out? They turned you fleshy?"

Loki blinked at him slowly before all signs of nervousness left his body. He drew himself up to his full height, seeming to grow another foot taller. Tony had a sneaking suspicion it was something to do with his magic.

Loki's fidgeting hands fell to his side carelessly, as if they hadn't been picking at his sleeves just seconds before. The Princes' expression melted into a mask of cold pride. It was the same face Tony was met with when they were first introduced. It had been a while since the god had turned it back on in front of Tony. It was the face he wore when they met with Thor, or anyone other than Tony, actually.

Tony shivered and took it as a sign that he said something really, really wrong.

"A _punishment_?" Loki repeated, his voice a harsh growl.

Tony back-paddled as fast as possible. "I didn't mean it like that, I just thought that that was why Odin called you out.I mean, not that I think it's okay that he did that. I didn't think—"

"You are correct."

Tony stopped his babbling, and snapped his mouth shut. He met the cold, very green, eyes in front of him with and tried not to wince.

"It _is_ a form of punishment," Loki continued,his pink lips twisting into a nasty smirk. "Apparently this entire marriage is a farce. I was under the impression we were here to create a bond between my people and the people of Asgard. Clearly, I was wrong, seeing as no one is actually aware there is a _monster_ in their midst."

"A... monster?"

Loki crossed his arms, sinking into himself as if Tony had attacked him with his words.  
"_I_ am the monsterthe Aesir fear and hate. One of the 'brutish' creatures they warn their children of." Loki paused, sadness creeping into his eyes. "My people are just a bedtime story told to keep the children of Asgard from wandering off into the woods. I matter less here than I did in Jotunheim."

Tony shifted his weight, trying to remember how Thor had treated Loki. It hadn't been particularly cruel, but it hadn't been kind either.

"Why the hell are we _here_, then?" Tony snapped. He noticed Loki flinch at the sound of his voice, and knew the god was misinterpreting his reason for the tone. "I mean, why would they force us to come here as some sort of peace treaty if they aren't actually making peace?"

Loki gave him a pitying look. "I asked myself the same questions a thousand times already. I am simply left with more questions."

They stood awkwardly for a while, staring at one another as though one of them might suddenly procure the answers. Tony licked his lips nervously and caught himself staring at Loki's new lips. They were so different when they weren't decked out in Frost Giant colors. There was something less regal, and more delicate about them.

Tony shook his head violently to disperse those thoughts. This was the second time his lips captivated his attention, there were kind of more pressing issues at hand.

"Do you want to change back?"

Loki blinked at him. "Why do you ask? Do I..." he looked down at his body with a strange, uncomfortable look, "do I look hideous?"

"No! No, no, no," Tony denied. "That's not it. You look fucking gorgeous."

With the blue gone, Loki's cheeks flared into a nice red. Tony firmly bit his tongue, forcing himself to not match Loki's cheek color with his own flush. After a few seconds of strangled breathing on both their parts, Loki did something unexpected.

He touched Tony's cheek.

"Whoa!"

Loki flinched back immediately at his exclamation, but Tony leaned forward and grabbed his hand, placing it back on his cheek.

"You're fine," he said quietly, meeting Loki's eyes while thinking calming thoughts. It must have worked, because Loki shifted closer with a look of wonder on his face.

"You're still a little chilly," Tony added with a smile.

"I suppose I cannot hide my true nature entirely."

"That's not a bad thing, is it?"

Loki hummed in agreement and Tony's smile widened as the cold fingers started caress his cheek. It felt weird, calming but exciting at the same time. A mess of conflicting feelings, that Tony was in no way ready to deal with, washed over him at the sight of Loki's face.

It was a gentile expression, coupled with the still pink cheeks and his slightly open mouth. It was just... Adorable.

"Do you want to change back, Prince Loki?" Tony asked again.

"Loki."

"Yes, you?"

Loki smiled apologetically. "Call me Loki. I am hardly a prince now and I never was much of one to begin with."

"Loki," Tony tested the name on his tongue. It felt better without the title, more intimate.

Loki stared at him, his eyes serious. "Yes?"

"Do you want to be blue again?"

"_Yes_," Loki whispered.

"Then I think it's high time I show you what your fiancé is capable of."

* * *

_My day was not all terrible, it began pleasantly yet ended in a rather complicated mess of affairs. In fact, I had a quite enjoyable afternoon once I was in St- Anthony's company._

_I had debated for several days whether or not to approach him in my new form. I was allowed to wander the halls freely now, yet I somehow felt less inclined to do so. To walk around in another's skin with a smile, and a lie on my lips. I did not want to give Odin the satisfaction.___

_Perhaps I debated too long. For when I finally plucked up the courage to visit him, he failed to recognize me. I felt disheartened, at first, when he asked who I was. I feared it was just as it always was back at home. I was not often remembered fondly, if at all. My own family members forgetting my name as some cruel joke.___

_It was only after a moment that I realized I must have changed much more than my skin color. Maybe my high had increased, or my hair was red. Or perhaps the color of my skin was all that defined me? ___

_Yet, he recognized me, in the end. I will admit, (only in the privacy of my own writings) , that it gave me great pleasure that he knew me. The fact that he recognized Odin's 'favor' for what it truly was, a cruel punishment, also gave me a great relief. I was so afraid that he would only find me appealing in this new flesh. That he would be more comfortable in my presence whilst I wore my disguise, as Odin said the Aesir would. I do not know why it matters so, but it does to me. The thought that he would dislike me at all bothers me so much I cannot bare it.___

_Perhaps it is because he was the first person to see my true self, and value it. When I showed him my magic, he reveled in it. When we speak, he finds me intelligent. I worry that I place too much trust in him far too soon, but I cannot help the overwhelming feeling that... No, best to stay away from those thoughts. I need to calm myself. It would not be wise to fall fast into an emotional state. I have been burnt one too many times by that flame.___

_But, let us return to more happy memories. The afternoon was pleasant. It started with a tour of his new quarters. Although, I suppose they should be called a Smithy, perhaps? I should ask him what he calls it, next we meet. He was quite eager to show me his 'technology' again. I have to admit, I could not fathom more than half of the intended purposes of his devices. He seemed slightly disappointed. I believe he had greater expectations of me after the phone.___

_After a while, he sat me down and started prodding me with different instruments. I can't say that part was as pleasant, but the conversation was a perpetual feast for the mind. He spun theories about the Bifrost I had never heard before. He is convinced, ( still, as I was unable to sway his opinion), that it was something called particles and... oh I don't know. I tried to explain to him that one remains whole for the journey and we do not simply shatter as we travel. He told me he would have to try it again to know. The atmosphere became rather awkward after that, both of us knowing we would never travel on the Bifrost again unless ordered to do so for diplomatic reasons. Reasons we agreed were unlikely to ever arise.___

_Everything went well until he tested some brought out a small device with a button and a dial on it. I was never entirely sure what it was, but it only took a moment between sitting there smiling and him pressing the button before..._

The pain was excruciating. It felt as though he was stung by dozens of pins and then set on fire. It lasted only seconds, but pain reverberated, expanded throughout his being until he was shaking uncontrollably. Loki fell from his stool to the dusty floor without the strength to catch himself.

"Loki?! Oh shit oh shit oh _shit _!"

Loki mewled in pain, his eyes filling with tears as his body refused to stop shuddering.

"Lo—" Tony stopped and gasped.

Whatever it was he saw was so terrible that even Anthony was at a lost for words. This only terrified Loki more.

"W-what have you d-done?" He managed to choke out.

Anthony's voice came as a coarse whisper, "you're blue again... but..."

Loki tried to open his eyes, but he could not see anything. They still felt wet, but it was not the familiar wetness of tears. It felt thick, oozing, and painful.

"What is wrong with me?" Loki whispered in return.

"Your eyes," Tony answered quietly, "they're bleeding."

Loki quickly raised his hands, fingers brushing tentatively at the back of his eyelids. They were met with the same sticky substance he felt running down his cheeks in sluggish rivulets.

Anthony was above him, and Loki could sense the waves of panic coming off of him. It wasn't anger. It couldn't be.

_It was only an accident._

Loki was sure, mostly sure, that the pain he felt was not given to him willingly. Anthony never lashed out at him, or screamed at him. He had been trying to help Loki return to himself.

_It was only an accident._

Yet he flinched when he felt those callused hands take ahold of his shoulders. Loki could only swallow the torrent of words that panic drove into his throat, threatening to scream in apology as he did so many times before. The words to beg for forgiveness leaped to mind, ready to appease his attacker's anger. But he chocked them back, he closed his mouth and shivered.

"I won't hurt you," Tony said quietly before adding, "any more than I just did, anyway."

"I am fine," Loki lied.

"No, you're _not_ and I'm sorry. I'm _so sorry_. I didn't..."

"Anthony," Loki whispered urgently, " I am fine. This is nothing."

Stark was quiet for so long that Loki nearly forgot he was there, until a harsh whisper broke the silence.

"What the hell have you gone through to make this seem like _nothing_?"

"Much worse things."

"Because you aren't as tall as the rest of them? Because you don't grunt and beat your chest in manly prowess?"

Loki sat up slowly, leaning on his shaky arms for support. "For all things that make up me. For my failures and even my triumphs. Every thing I succeeded at was the wrong thing." He winced at his own words and held a hand up to his eyes again. "Is this permanent?"

"No, I'll fix it," Tony promised in a tense voice. Loki could sense anger returning to the mortal beside him. He always seemed to get angry when Loki spoke of his past. He was still unsure as to why. Or, perhaps he just didn't want to admit that he knew the reasons why.

"I think I'm gonna need some help, though," Stark added, sounding unsure.

"Who would help me, especially now that I am in my own skin again, as you pointed out."

"I think I know just the person. She's really not the type to care what you look like anyway."

Loki could hear the smile in his voice and wondered who the person was that Anthony seemed to trust so fully. In all the time they had spent together, he had never seen the man trust anyone other than Loki himself. He skirted Thor, even though the golden-haired man seemed to have take a liking to Anthony. Loki had never seen him in the presence of Odin, or any of the other Aesir.

Loki pondered it a minute more, until the pain grew too strong. "Let her help, if she is willing."

"Good, stay here and I'll be right back. Don't... don't die or anything, okay?"

"I'm not dying, Anthony. Stop being overly dramatic."

"Well _excuse _me for worrying about someone who is bleeding from their eyeballs after one little electrical pulse."

"You may be excused," Loki replied promptly.

There was a strange huffing sound that Loki placed as laughter before he heard the door open.

"Then I shall excuse myself, your majesty."

The door shut, leaving Loki confused as to what just happened.

* * *

He ran. It wasn't Tony's strong suit, being the one who usually flew over the Earth, not walked on it. He was sweating and panting like a dog in heat. It was disgusting and his lungs felt like they would pop. His heart wasn't feeling all that great either. He realized, too late, that maybe he shouldn't be over working himself like this. But fuck it, Loki was in his workshop bleeding from his god damn _eyes._

So he ran all the way up from the lower courts, through the main hall, up past the throne room to the Aesir's living quarters, and skidded to a stop outside a room with a small golden door. It was a door he had accidentally wandered through one of the days he was without Loki's company. It was the door between him and his only hope at helping Loki.

He knocked and panted, and waited.

"Yes?" Came a soft voice just as the door opened to reveal a tall, golden haired woman. "Oh, it is you again."

"Me...again," Tony panted, bending over to catch his breath. He ignored the way his heart was clenching in his chest, and hurried on, "I hate to ask you like this, but I really need your magic healing hands."

The woman's smile faltered as she tilted her head. "Are you hurt?"

"No, no, no." Tony shook his head and straightened up, a hand clutching at a stitch in his side. "It's my... fiancée. He's sort of bleeding."

The woman's eyes narrowed before she turned on her heel and disappeared back into the room. Tony winced at another throb in his chest, taking in a deep, dragging breath.

"Show me." She had returned with a small bag in her hands, pulling a teal shawl over her shoulders in a rush. She was half way down the hall before Tony caught up with her.

Tony opened the workshop door and peeked his head in, unsure if his stunted explanation of events was enough to prepare her for what she was about to see.

"Loki?"

There was a shuffle from somewhere behind one of his half set up benches.

"Anthony?" came Loki's voice, soft and fearful.

Tony pushed his way through the door and crept closer to where he heard the voice. "Loki, I brought her here for you. Can you come out?"

The woman came up behind him and waited patently. Loki's head peeked out from behind the bench, facing the wrong way.

"Where are you?" He asked, his closed, bloody eyes turning past him.

Tony's chest hurt again, and he ignored it again. "I'm here, Loki," he said, coming forward and gently touching the prince's shoulder. Loki flinched a little, but instantly leaned back into his touch.

"Are you Prince Loki?" the woman asked.

Loki tensed under Tony's hands. So he leaned forward and kissed the god's forehead in a mad hope that it would help somehow.

"Stay calm," he whispered, "She will help you, okay?"

Loki went completely still until he spoke in a calm, regal voice, "Who is it who comes to me aid?"

"I am Lady Frigga, that is all you need to know for now." She moved closer, looking at Tony for permission to approach further. He nodded, and she did. "Let me see your eyes, Prince Loki."

Tony stepped to the side and felt Loki lean after his touch as his hands moved away. Something inside his chest clenched yet again, forcing a small gasp out of him.

"Anthony?" Loki asked, his blind eyes turning towards him. "What ails you?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just..." Tony paused and glanced at Frigga, "just let the nice lady help you."

Loki frowned in disappointment, turning away from Tony at last.

Just as she moved to touch Loki's cheeks, Tony remember something important.

"Stop! Hold it!" He yelled, reaching out to catch her hand.

Loki flinched away from his voice, confused. "What?! What is wrong?"

"She can't touch you," Tony said, meeting Frigga's eyes for a moment before looking back at Loki and letting go of her hand. "If I remember correctly, you said something about burning the Aesir?"

Loki jerked back quickly, nearly toppling over to the ground. "I did not realize she aimed to touch me. I... my deepest apologies, Lady Frigga."

"There is no need for an apology, Prince Loki," she said with a smile. "Although, this is a bit of a problem. I shall not be able to heal you without touching you." She paused and gave Tony a thoughtful look. "Unless... Son of Stark, you are able to touch his skin and remain unharmed?"

Tony nodded and made a point of poking Loki's face with a finger, causing Loki to twitch again. He muttered an apology under his breath and looked up at her hopefully.

"I think I may have a way around this," Frigga said, holding her hands out to him. "If you could place your palms over his eyes. Gently, please."

His nerves were starting to fray and he was more than sure that he about to become a magic conduit. But he listened, because Loki was still bleeding from his eyes.

Once in position, Tony could feel the prince shivering under his hands. He swallowed any words of comfort, not quite trusting his voice at the moment.

"Both of you need breathe and calm yourselves," Frigga spoke from behind Tony. Of course, he tensed up.

"Son of Stark," she added, laying her hands on his shoulders, "you _must_ relax if you wish to help him."

"Easier said than done."

Loki whimpered a little. That was enough for Tony. Taking in a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began to think calming thoughts.

_Mark V.__  
__Solar energy panels to charge my phone other than the reactor.__  
__Pepper when she laughs.__  
__Pepper when she smiles.__  
__A smile.__  
__Loki's smile._

Tony's eyes jerked open, and he opened his mouth to deny what his brain was telling him just as Frigga sent a wave of magic through. At least, he assumed it was magic. It didn't feel sparkly and good, it felt like a heat washing through his body and leaving out his hands.

Loki shuddered and for a second Tony thought the prince would pull away until Frigga suddenly released them both from her magic.

He let his hands fell away slowly, almost afraid to see what was beneath them. There was still blood on Loki's face, but it was already congealing on his cold skin. With a few gentile movements, Tony wiped it away from his eyes.

"Let's open them up, Blue's Clues."

Loki sat there and didn't move, looking as though he was waiting for something.

"Loki?"

"Oh, yes?" Loki rushed, his brow furrowing over closed eyes.

"That was your cue to open your eyes."

There was a soft chuckle from Frigga, and Loki's cheeks turned a darker hue of blue. His eyes opened slowly, the Frost Giant red making it impossible to differentiate between blood, and his natural eye color.

Tony smiled nervously and leaned closer to inspect his eyes. "Can you see me?" He asked, then raised a hand to hold up three fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"I can see you perfectly and you are holding three fingers directly in my face."

Tony grinned and sat back a little. "There he is! That's my snappy Loki-pie."

The blue cheeks darkened more. "Do not speak to me as though I am some sort of pet!" Loki snapped at last, standing up to his full hight.

Tony smiled up at him and reached up to pat his shoulder. "It's a term of endearment. You're gonna have to get used to it if you marry me."

Loki gave him a look and started to argue when Frigga interrupted him.

"It seems everyone is healthy enough to bicker," she began, a hint of amusement in her voice, "I shall take my leave now."

Tony spun around and bowed clumsily to her. "Thank you for helping him."

Loki stepped beside him and bowed low, one leg going back, and his hand fluttering gracefully.

"You have my deepest gratitude, Lady Frigga."

"Prince Loki, if I recall correctly, my husband placed a glamour upon you. What has happened to it since?"

Tony's body creaked as he flinched, his head still low from the bow. His eyes flickered to the side to see Loki glancing back at him fearfully. Tony decided to take the blame. After all, he was the one who changed him back.

"That would be my fault. I liked him better when he's blue. It goes with all my outfits and he makes a perfect cooler for drinks if you..." Tony stopped babbling at the laugh that bubbled out of Frigga.

"I see, Son of Stark." She chuckled again and gave Loki a warm smile. "I much prefer his natural skin, myself. The markings are quite beautiful."

"Although," she added, her voice growing somber, "Odin will not be pleased that you have returned to this form. He did intended his magic as a precaution against any of those who wished to harm you."

Tony spoke up again, "I'll take care of it. I already know what went wrong this time, so I can change him back. I think. I won't mess up again."

The queen's gazed fell to him for a long moment, before she sighed. "I will come to your aid, should you need it. Until then, be careful who sees you. There are still those who would attack before knowing your purpose here."

"My purpose, my Lady, was to bring piece between Asgard and Jotunheim," Loki said in a calm voice. "I cannot see how this will be possible while I look like an Aesir."

"Patience," Frogga warned, her smile returning tenfold. "The time will come for you, Prince Loki, to shine amongst us all. Until then, be content under the glamour, for your touch will not burn others, and they should find no reason to glare or harm you."

"He better not going around touching people," Tony joked, giving Frigga a lopsided grin.

Her laugh was gentile, but sincere. "I shall leave that for you two to discuss. Please visit me again for lunch tomorrow, if you are both free?"

"But of course," Loki answered for both of them, ending his sentence with a other flourishing bow.

After her departure, Tony turned and gave Loki a look over.  
"Are you sure you're okay?"

"You brought the queen of Asgard to heal a Frost Giant?"

Tony bit back a nasty comment on how few options he actually had at the time, instead replying with, "I didn't know she was a queen until just now."

"How could you now know?" Loki snarled, "I was blind, what was your excuse?!

"My excuse? Oh let's see, I'm not from around here, I've never met any royalty other than Thor and you, and I didn't fucking ask."

Loki was biting his lip and glaring at him, but the tension was already fading away.

"Loki, are you okay?"

"Are you?"

Tony snapped, "Can you answer the damned question with an answer, not another question?"

Loki stepped closer, his face unreadable. "I am fine, Stark."

"Don't do that..." Tony said, his frustration ebbing away. "Don't switch off like that."

"Switch off?"

Tony closed the last of distance between them and looked at him sadly. "Don't start calling me by my last name because you don't like something I do. It feels like we're starting all over again."

Loki arched his eye brows. "Anthony, then."

"Thanks."

"Are you well, Anthony?" Loki repeated, his voice softer.

"I might have given myself a mini heart attack, but I'll live," he replied, running a hand through his hair and looking around the workshop. "I think that's enough excitement for one day. I'll walk you back."

Loki gave him a bemused look, but nodded. "Shall my mask be restored tomorrow, then?"

"If it's necessary, I guess so."

"Can you do it?" Loki asked, sounding hesitant.

"I can. I promise no bleeding this time. I don't need another heart attack."

"Something attacked your heart?"

"Did you miss that the first time?" Tony laughed and headed for the door, beckoning Loki to follow. "It means I got so freaked out it felt like my heart exploded."

Loki did not answer, but remained quiet for the rest of the journey back to his room. Once there, he turned around abruptly and looked down at Tony with a look of determination.  
"Do not let your heart be damaged by me or my actions. I would morn the loss of you, if no one else."

Tony gaped at him, unable to stop the blush that creeped across his face. "I... You w— I don't even..."

"Please have a good night," Loki concluded quickly, flashing a shy smile before slithering into his room faster than was humanly possible.

Tony stared at the door for a long moment before turning back to head to his room. Halfway down the hall, he took out his phone and made a new note.

_Remember:__  
__Loki's smile._


	4. Forget Me Not

_Today it is the rain that drags forth memories not old enough to have lost their bitter edge.__  
__Anthony's plans for a 'picnic' had gone astray due to the sky opening up above us just as we made to leave the great hall.__  
__The atmosphere was poor, something seemed to be weighing on his mind as heavily as my thoughts were weighing on mine. We soon went our separate ways, parting too briefly to say a satisfying goodbye. I did not think much of it then, but now I nurse a small ache for more time spent with him.___

_Rain.__  
__It never rained in Jotunheim. Ice would pelt from the sky and strike our homes and bodies. Heavy, damp snow would stick to you, driven by the harsh wind. On those gentile days, the flakes would fall in silence.___

_I dislike the rain. It reminds me that I am neither home, nor anywhere I can call home. I remember that I am alone, surrounded by our thousand year old enemies. Soon to be married to man so different from me that I cannot fathom how we will continue on.___

_This mood has carried me into memories I would rather forget. Memories that my scars will never let me forget.__  
_

Loki was the fastest out of anyone his age. He needed to be fast, because he was always the one running away from the others.  
Unfortunately, fate was often kinder to his perusers. His own cousin was the one who would come up with clever traps, sending a small avalanches of snow and ice to smother him. Then, they would dig him out, already half unconscious, and start their game.

They would pass him between them, one catching and turning him around while the other buried their massive fists into him. Knees would drive up into his chest, fracturing his more brittle bones. They always aimed for his torso, forcing him to hide their work under clothing. Because he was small, because he was thin, he would break under their onslaught of blows.

Finally, something new broke. There was a resounding crack that echoed throughout the crevasse they had tricked him into. His cousin ceased his attack at the sound, and stared at Loki with a look of disgust. The others jeered and let him go, pushing him into the ice to stand back and laugh.

Loki stayed still, his lower jaw hanging loosely from his face. His muscles, sinew, bones all were battered. The blood that poured from his split skin and insides stained the snow. His deep blue skin was bruised into black.

Too beaten to make sense of anything, he tried to talk. The initial shock shed away, slipping into maddening pain. With all his will power, Loki shut it out, kept his head low, and didn't make another sound.

That was the farthest they had ever taken things before, and they knew that this time it would be too obvious what had happened. They left him in the crevasse, quickly escaping to their homes. He fell into the snow and for just a moment, he let himself actually feel the pain. He screamed. The movement shifted his broken jaw, and his screams faded with his consciousness.

It was days later, when Loki finally became aware enough to realize he was still alive. He had gone somewhere he had never been before, somewhere he felt safe. It was dark and so comforting he ached to leave it. But Jotunheim would not let him go just yet and he was ripped back into the cold, aching world of his life as an unwanted prince.

"Laufeyson..."

Loki tilted his head to see the speaker and felt a frown forming. Only, his face could not move without sharp pains shooting through his entire skull. So, he looked at his father with no expression at all.

"You have tried, I know, to do well in your princely duties," King Laufey spoke in a calm voice. He stepped closer and continued, "I had such _hopes _for you before I realized the truth."

Loki wanted to speak, to express his confusion even. All he could manage was a glassy-eyed stare and raised brows. It did not seem to convey enough for his father to understand his thoughts.

"You have been fighting with your cousins," laufey stated, disappointment growing is his voice. "Angfaurson tells me you have been cheating off of his studies, as well. I had wondered why you were excelling so quickly."

Loki's heart felt like it was going to burst from his throat. He wanted to scream in frustration, or cry for his father's trust.

Why? Why did his father not see things for what they were? Surely is was obvious what were lies and what were truths?

"Your mother is very disappointed in you," Laufey continued, ignoring his sons pleading eyes. "As for me, I no longer consider you my son. I refuse to recognize you as the prince of Jotunheim and you shall be replaced as soon as your brother is born." He paused, his expression growing darker. "Until then, you shall be a prince in name only. You will show your face when you are expected, but you no longer hold any power."

"Not that you ever did have any power, a weakling like you," he added bitterly.

Loki was so caught up in his panic, he failed to notice the king's face looming over him, dark eyes devoid of any remorse.  
"Do you understand me?"

Loki tried to speak, "fath...why..youdoithi..."

"Do you understand me!?"

Loki flinched, and with it came the pain again. With that, came the beckoning darkness and Loki fell into it, grateful to be welcomed back into its embrace. No matter how comforting the darkness was, once he awoke, nothing would ever be the same again.

* * *

___I'm not okay. Or as one of the great masters once said, "I'm not fucking okay!" Or maybe that was a song, I can't remember.___

_I thought things would be fine like this, here in the golden palace of Asgard, but they're not. I know I have to marry prince Loki, settle in like a good little husband, be a diplomat, and suck it up. Here's the thing: I'm Tony Stark, I don't suck it up for anyone.___

_That sounded better in my head.___

_What I'm trying to say is, I never do what others tell me to do. So why am I even here? Why did I leave my -rather good- life behind? Why do I have to make another sacrifice to save the world? But most importantly of all, why did I have to give up Pepper, so everyone else could be happy?___

_I miss her. It's weird not having her in my life in any capacity. I think I could have probably handled breaking up with her, if I still saw her around. We weren't just dating, I mean, we were friends. Good friends. She knew everything about me, possibly more about me than I know about myself. It's stupid, but I keep expecting her to walk through that door with a pile of paperwork and a coffee, telling me what I need to do for the rest of the day.___

_Maybe this is what 'growing up' actually feels like. Is this it? Is growing apart from people how you define adulthood? Because that's all my life's been, losing people. I don't feel like some mature individual, I feel old and alone.___

_The thing is, I'm tired. I may not be some thousands of years old, but I'm no spring chicken in human years. I spend my entire day alone, or introducing myself to some court member or another. Yesterday I spent the whole damn day talking to Thor's friends about myself and the things I've done. Oh, revel in my epic battle stories that I know you laugh about behind my back. Yeah, sorry I'm just some weakling human. I've had to literally bite my tongue to keep from telling them where they can shove it.___

_Normally, I like talking about myself. Normally, they're hot chicks who didn't really care about what I was saying, as long as they got close to me. But also, normally, I would come home to people who knew me and would talk about something else. People who didn't need to ask questions, but simply did things with me.___

_Meeting all these new people, all I do is introduce myself over and over again. I need someone I can just be myself around. I need someone like...__  
_

Loki was standing in the hall by himself, looking outside with a dark expression on his face. It was nice to see him out without the two guards that had escorted him around, or the cloak he hid under while he walked through the halls.

Tony had successfully changed his skin back to the Aesir tones that Odin had given him originally. Personally, Tony felt a little insulted for Loki's sake that Odin had chosen such a pale skin tone, considering how high contrast it was to Loki's true coloring. It was probably on purpose. Maybe he was looking into it a little too much.

Tony paused at the sight and waited, just beyond a pillar, to gauge the prince's mood. When they had met earlier in the morning, things had been stiff and awkward. It was mostly his fault, he knew, but something had been bothering Loki too. By the looks of it, the prince's temper seemed to have lingered in the depressing spectrum.

"I can hear you breathing," came Loki's voice, spoken loudly over the noise of the rain, "if you do not wish to feel the sting of my blade, you will show yourself."

"Okay, okay," Tony said, coming out from his hiding place with his hands up. "No need for stabbing, it's just me."

Loki's face lit up considerably as Tony approached him. There was still something heavy on the prince's mind, but at least there was a hint of a smile forming. Maybe things were looking up after all.

"My apologies, Anthony, I thought you were someone else."

"Has somebody been bothering you? I can give them a taste of my—"

"No!" Loki shook his head sharply, backing a step away and looking a little appalled. "It... It is fine."

Tony frowned and watched the prince settle into his fake calm. Something was really off after all.

"Loki, what happened?"

"Nothing of importance. What are you doing back here so soon?"

Ignoring the change in subject, Tony pressed closer and demanded again, "Tell me what happened."

A flicker of discomfort passed over the calm facade before he answered. "Someone may... be harassing me, somewhat."

Tony let out a hiss of annoyance and looked around the hall with a glare, just in case the creep was hanging around. He looked back at Loki sharply. "Who is it and what have they done?"

Loki looked taken aback and huffed slightly. "Why do you wish to know?" He asked, his expression remaining doubtful. "Do you wish to ride in and save me from my tormentor? I assure you, I am more than able to take care of myself!"

Tony's eyes narrowed.

_What is his problem? So I'm not allowed to worry about the guy I'm was supposed to marry in a month?_

"You know, you really shouldn't sneer at people who are trying to help," he replied calmly, "it makes them reconsider being nice to you."

Loki tensed up more at that and back away, looking startled. This was not going the way Tony wanted.

"I'm sorry," he said, frowning and backing up as well. "I won't push it, then. I'll just go for now and talk to you—"

"No."

"No?"

Loki glanced down at his fingers that were picking away at his sleeves again, and muttered, "I wished to speak with you, since we missed the morning."

"Oh..." Tony blinked at him, trying to find the right words. "Uh, okay, I guess?"

Tony watched him anxiously for a while as Loki continued to tug on his sleeves, every so often casting a glance at the rain falling through the open door. The prince was giving off such a weird mix of emotions, Tony wasn't sure where to start. Clearly there was something he wanted to say to Tony, but there was also something more personal bothering him. He doubted the prince would talk to him about it, and that bothered him. Why did it irritate him so much? Everybody has their secrets, so what if Loki doesn't tell him his deep dark past. It's not like he ever asked him about his past either.

Thinking about it only made his mood worse, so instead of dissecting those thoughts further, Tony decided to see where the prince would lead.

"Loki," he said gently, holding out a hand for the prince to come closer. It was a small gesture, but it seemed to go a long way. As soon as their eyes met, all of the stress melted out of Loki's body, and he stopped pulling at his clothing nervously. With one swift movement, Loki stepped directly on front of him and took his hand.

"Anthony, I..." He paused and glanced around before continuing in a softer voice, "we should speak elsewhere."

Tony was too distracted by the oddly warm hand clutching at his fingers to register what he said.

_Were Loki's fingers always this long?_

"Anthony?"

"What? Sorry, you were asking me..."

Loki's brow crunched together as he repeated his request. Tony silently cursed himself for ruining the mood again so soon and turned to pull Loki along down the hall.

"Do you mind getting a little wet?" He asked, smirking over his shoulder as they reached the side door.

"How wet do you mean? I do not disagree with a little damp, but a—"

Tony jerked the prince outside and started running across the courtyard to his new workshop. He laughed at the string of curses in some foreign language that came pouring out of Loki as the rain soaked them both instantly. It was a short journey, but the rain was so heavy it was more like swimming. By the time he slammed the door shut behind them, his hair was plastered to his face and his clothes stuck to his body.

He noticed, then, that neither of them had let go of one another's hands yet. A voice in the back of his head begged him to not let go, before the reasonable part of his brain took over and reminded him that he needed both hands.

"I said 'damp'," Loki hissed, "not _dripping_ wet!"

Tony shook his hair out of his face and started to grin at the prince before he got a good look at what the rain did to him.

It was a crime, for someone to look that good when standing there in sopping wet clothes and glaring hard enough to set fire to the rain. His deep blue tunic was clinging to his torso in a down right sinful manner. And the prince's hair? There was no other word for it but sexy.

Tony shook his head again, more to get the raging hormonal thoughts out of it than to remove the water. He really shouldn't be thinking about him like this, even if they were getting married. It's all a game, the whole thing was just politics. Nothing more.

"Sorry," he apologized with a quick smile before ducking his head and shuffling past him. Damn it all, his cheeks were turning red like a virgin at his first strip club. Time for science. Science never failed to distract him. He could tinker and listen to Loki at the same time. But first, a couple of towels.

"Hang on, let me grab you a blanket or something," he called out as he climbed the ladder up to his loft. After digging around through some things he managed to find a towel or two for Loki and a shirt for himself. He slid down and landed with a thud, turning and tossing the towels to Loki in one swift movement.

"Catch!"

Loki flinched, but managed to catch both flying objects with ease. Tony scoffed at the glare he received and pulled his shirt off over his head. He was already tossing it in the corner when he heard the startled gasp.

"What's wrong... oh," Tony trailed off when he saw the wide green eyes fixed on his chest. Well, on the glowing object in his chest.

"What in the nine realms is _that_?" Loki whispered urgently, shifting a bit to inspect it better.

"It's my arc reactor," Tony replied easily, as if that explained everything.

Loki crept closer, hunching over to peer at it with curious eyes. The tips of his wet hair brushed against Tony's chest, and there was really nothing he could do about the pleased gasp he let out.

Loki looked up suddenly and met his eyes. It usually took some effort to read the prince's feelings, but sometimes Loki wore his emotions right on his face. Like right now. There was concern, fascination, and a little surprise.

"Does this hurt you?" He whispered as if speaking too loudly would somehow worsen Tony's pain.

"Sometimes it aches," Tony replied, his voice softening as Loki grew more concerned. "It's actually keeping me alive, Loki. So stop looking at me like that."

Loki pull himself up and gave him a strange look. " I did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"You didn't, I'm not. You were looking at me like I was dying or something. I hate it when people look at me like I'm dying. Especially when I'm dying."

Loki's eyes widened and his hand touched the reactor suddenly. "You are dying?!"

"No! I mean, yes..." He winced and tried again, "I'm not dying horribly right this second. Eventually I will, maybe twenty to thirty years from now. Give or take a little depending on how much ale I ingest here."

That did nothing to elevate the prince's concern. In fact, he grew more pale and his eyes fell away to look at the reactor again.

"So little time?" He muttered.

Tony unconsciously leaned into his touch, suddenly overcome with the desire to hug the prince. He sounded so disappointed, so miserable. Tony hated it when Loki got like this.

"Humans don't live as long as you guys," Tony replied carefully, "me shorter than most. I've abused myself, and been abused too much to live long and prosper."

"_Abused_..."

That one word came out almost breathlessly, and carried such a heavy weight behind it. Tony knew, since the first time he touched Loki and the prince flinched, that he had a bad past. No one wore a mask like that without a reason, or pulled himself away from others like they might bite. Someone hurt Loki, often and for a long time.  
Tony decided right then and there that if he and said person ever met, they were going to die.

Tony frowned, his brain running full circle back to why they had come here in the first place. "Loki, who's been bothering you here?"

The hand that had been pressed against his chest flinched back and tucked itself away. Loki stayed close to him, but would no longer meet his eye.

"Loki, _tell me_."

"He was pleasant, when I met him the other day," Loki replied quietly, his voice layered with bitterness. "We ran into one another while I debated seeing you after the change. He was quite complimentary and I felt flattered at first."

The prince heaved a great sigh and finally looked up once more. His expression grew cold as he continued, "It became more than that, and I had to refuse more... inappropriate advances."

Tony all but growled. It didn't matter if it was just a political marriage, Loki was his. He was his only friend on this boring hunk of planet and he had enough troubles already without some dick head flirting with him.

Taking a calming breath, he asked as non-threateningly as possible, "Who?"

Loki started fidgeting with the towel and glanced away again. Tony wanted to scream with frustration.

"Loki, he can't do this to you," he tried again. "For one thing, it's against the rules, for another, no one's allowed to touch you."

Loki turned quickly and stared at him, his eyes wide. "No one may touch me? You... you are rather protective, are you not?"

Tony gritted his teeth. "So what if I am? I'm your fiancé, isn't that to be expected?"

Loki's face fell into what looked like disappointment. Tony cursed himself for the third time today. He was on a fuck-up roll.

"So you protect my honor only out of some sense of duty?" Loki snapped, his body shifting away automatically.

"I don't give a fuck about honor," Tony hissed, moving closer again. "I'm worried about you because I care about you. When will you get that through your thick skull?"

Loki went silent for a while, the sound of rain filling the room in a sudden roar. Tony felt something settle over both of them. He hoped it was understanding.

"Fandral."

"What? Wait," Tony ran a hand down his face. "Thor's buddy? The blond bearded jerk?"

"Yes, the blond bearded jerk," Loki replied with a hint of a smile.

Tony shook his head and give him an apologetic look. "I should have know, actually. He flirted with me too."

Loki's eyebrows arched and an amused smirk formed on his lips. "Oh? Even _you_?"

"Don't make it sound like its so impossible!"

"That's not what I was implying," Loki purred in response, growing more amused. "I was simply surprised in his taste."

"I'm pretty sure the guy fucks anything that walks," Tony grumbled, "I wouldn't put it past him to go for some furniture too."

Loki laughed suddenly and loudly, startling Tony so much he dropped his shirt. Tony grinned as he watched the prince slip away into the real Loki again. It was different, because now his cheeks flushed pink and his green eyes flashed with amusement. But it was still the real Loki with his wide toothy smile and strange little giggle.

"There we go, that's what I wanted to see," he said fondly, crossing his arms and leaning back a little to admire the view.

Loki's laugh trailed off into small chuckles as he tried to catch his breath. When he met Tony's eye, he grinned. "You wanted to see him fornicate with the furniture?"

"No. Well, maybe," Tony said, shaking his head at the thought. "I wanted to see you laugh again. You've been so down lately, I thought maybe you were controlling the rain."

Loki's smile grew sad as Tony spoke, and for the last time Tony cursed himself.

"I'm afraid I am not responsible for the rain," Loki said quietly. "If I attempted to control it, it would turn to ice and snow."

"No shit? Really? Can I see?" Tony babbled, ducking down suddenly to pull his shirt on.

Loki looked taken aback for a moment before nodding.  
"I suppose it should be alright, if only for a moment."

"Great!" Tony grabbed his hand again, pulling him to the door and opening it with gusto. "Do you think it's ever snowed here?"

"I doubt it," Loki replied, peering out at the rain thoughtfully. "I was told that it never rained here unless Thor was in a mood."

"So this is Thor's fault then?" Tony glared out at the down pour. "Remind me to scold him for ruining our picnic."

Loki smiled and stepped past him into the rain. Almost immediately, he was obscured by the downpour, becoming just a dark smudge. His only warning was a crackle before every drop of rain around Loki froze in the air in tiny droplets of ice.

The prince was standing, looking up at the sky with a calm smile on his face. In the space of a blink, the sky lightened and the rain slowed into soft fakes of snow.

* * *

"_Beautiful_."

Loki tore his gaze away from the familiar sky above him to look at his companion. The man was staring at him in rapt fascination, his nose and cheeks already flushing with cold.

"Is it? Does your home not have snow?" Loki asked, amused at the childlike smile on Stark's face.

"Not like this," Tony said, stepping closer and looking around at the frozen rain still hovering around him.

"It is not something I have often done, seeing as there is plenty of snow to be had on Jotunheim."

"So I'm the first to see you do this?"

Loki blinked and frowned, trying to remember if he had shown any other this power. He had not. No one wanted to see his magic, not once. It was disgusting, weak. Tony was the first person he had met who wanted to see his magic, who grew excited for it.

Something quivered inside of him, like birds trying to escape his chest. His breath caught in his throat as he met Anthony's eyes.

"Yes, you are the first."

Tony flashed his grin and started jumping around and batting the frozen drops out of the air. The snow continued to fall around them, building up on the cobble stones of the court yard. Flakes stuck in Stark's hair and melted on his face while he danced around like a child.

Voices fell from windows far above them, calling out in bemusement.  
But Loki could not tear his eyes away from Stark as he played in the snow, every so often turning to smile at Loki.

"Thanks," he called out, finally running back over to Loki.

"For what?" Loki asked. Now that the man was closer, he could see he was shivering and his fingers were bright red with cold. Loki reached out and took Stark's hands in his, ignoring the soft whimpering voice in the back of his head that warned him that it was dangerous.

"For showing me this," Tony replied, showing no concern whatsoever for the fact that Loki was now holding his hands. "It almost feels like home," he added, looking around once more in amazement.

Loki watched him, not caring for the snow or the cold, or the voices of the others. He watched the weariness fade from the man's face as a spark of hope began to form behind those brown eyes.

He smiled warmly and squeezed Anthony's chilled hands gently.  
"Yes, like home." 


End file.
